During the invasion, several regions of Azeroth came under attack by Scourge forces. Members of the Argent Dawn organized a worldwide counter to the Scourge invasion, keeping an eye out for any necropolis sightings and passing on their information to all adventurers willing to aid them in their struggle.

With each victory against the Scourge, the defense grows stronger. As more and more invasion attempts are beaten back by the defenders, the Argent Dawn will be able to bestow increasingly more powerful blessings upon those fighting the invaders. If the mortal races focus on clearing the Scourge camps all over the world that have sprung up beneath each necropolis, perhaps the invasion can effectively be halted or even repelled. Those who wish to take up arms against the undead invaders should speak with a representative of the Argent Dawn to learn what regions need help and how the defense is holding up.

NPCs near Argent Dawn tents in the major cities will note where the necropoleis are attacking, and how many are in each zone. There are also necropoleis over the capitals. The ones over the major cities seem to be permanent but they only spawn low level scourge for the introductory quest. If you look on the world map, areas under attack (excluding capital cities) will be marked with a purple skull.

Assaulting the Necropolis

The necropoli are accompanied by Necrotic Shards, which are visible on the ground near each of the flying citadels. These shards are always surrounded by a large number of undead. The undead are non-elite and grant 5 Argent Dawn reputation until the end of honored, unlike normal undead. They yield [Invader's Scourgestones] if slain while having the [Argent Dawn Commission] equipped.

The Shards near the undead are weakened as the undead are killed. When the strength of the shard reaches zero, four Cultist Engineers will appear and start to heal it. Each of these engineers can be "disrupted" through the use of eight Necrotic Runes. The Acolyte will then convert into a Shadow of Doom, which is a tough 70 elite mob. Upon its defeat, the Shadow of Doom will yield a [Corruptor's Scourgestone], 50 reputation with the Argent Dawn, 30 Necrotic Runes, and has a chance to drop a chest piece of the Undead Slaying set.

Destroying all four Shadows of Doom will destroy the Necrotic Shard, heal nearby players for 10,000, grant them a powerful buff, and stop new Scourge from spawning there (at least for a short time).

Destroying all the Necrotic Shards attached to a necropolis will destroy the necropolis. Destroying all the necropoli in a zone will cause that zone to no longer be under attack. The Scourge will eventually deploy more necropolises however, so clearing a zone does not mean it is safe forever.

Rewards

Marks of the Dawn

After a certain number of battles have been won on a server, additional rewards are available. After the battles have been completed, a new NPC will spawn at Lights Hope Chapel and in your faction capital and will hand three of the item out for free!

Mob drops

In the original Scourge Invasion, three rare spawns appear at each of the Shards (Bone Witch, Lumbering Horror and Spirit of the Damned), which drop two to three Necrotic Runes as well as the bracers of the Undead Slaying set. Like most rare spawns, they are not elite but are slightly higher level. These spawns appear roughly every fifteen minutes after engagement of Scourge in the area, and despawn about fifteen minutes later.

In the second Scourge Invasion, the rare spawns are level 71, and instead drop the pants for the new Blessed Undead Slaying sets with 100% chance of drop. These can be easily taken down if fought without any adds; a level 68 tank and another DPS character or healer will easily make quick work of these rares.

Letters from the Scourge

Non-elite undead around the Necrotic Shards will occasionally drop letters. There are six total, each of which starts a turn-in quest at the Keeper of the Rolls in Light's Hope Chapel for a small reward. Once the quest is started, the letters may be read. They contain well-written bits of lore, mainly related to the events in Warcraft III. These letters appear in both versions of the Scourge Invasion.

A week after turning in a letter you will receive through the mail a message from the Keeper indicating a NPC that is mentioned in the original (quest) letter. This does not start a quest. The NPCs indicated become vendors that will sell you [Freshly-Squeezed Lemonade] (2934 mana over 30 secs) and [Friendship Bread] (2148 health over 30 secs). There is no other reward, and the lemonade and bread are functionally equivalent to normal level 45 vendor food and drink, though while consuming them an animation of a cartoon heart is displayed above your character and a short, tinging sound will repeat. These vendors continue to sell these items after the Scourge Invasion ends. There is one vendor in each faction capital city as well as Booty Bay, Eastern Plaguelands, and Silithus.

Capital city invasions

Aside from the necropolis events outdoors, Scourge mobs will occasionally appear in Stormwind and Undercity. They spawn seemingly at random, causing city NPCs to yell for help. The most common are Flameshockers, level 55 mobs (level 63 elite mobs during the second Invasion) which do not hit very hard, but have a very large amount of health points. The city NPCs are capable of killing the Flameshockers on their own, but if a player or group chooses to tag them, they will receive 5 Argent Dawn rep (at Honored). Flameshockers can drop Necrotic Runes.

There are also groups of tougher elite mobs (Pallid Horror) that periodically spawn in Stormwind and Undercity and attempt to get to the city leader, causing him/her to yell that he/she is under attack. (These do not pose an actual threat to racial leaders, they are easily able to defeat the creatures if they manage to reach them.) When all the mobs are defeated, the city leader will yell that they are safe, and a dead Necrotic Shard will spawn. The shard will give a quest to talk to a NPC at Light's Hope Chapel. Any player can receive this quest, even if they did not tag the mobs that spawned the shard.

All the mobs that spawn inside cities are yellow (passive) and do not attack players who haven't attacked them first. They also appear not to attack vital NPCs such as bankers and vendors. So, it would seem players who aren't interested in the city events are not threatened by them in any way, and can simply ignore them and go about their business.

Tenris Mirkblood‎

Balzaphon

Balzaphon is a lich who formerly patrolled the fountain courtyard to the left of the service entrance in Stratholme. Balzaphon uses many frost based abilities. He has since Patch 3.0.2 been moved from his patrol route and now stands in a corner northeast of the fountain.

The second Scourge Invasion

The second Invasion largely mirrored the first Invasion, albeit with the addition of Tenris Mirkblood and numerous changes to the available quests and rewards. However, the second Invasion also featured additional events beginning November 10, 2008. Special events, described below, began to play out in each faction's capital, while the forces of the scourge began attacking Stormwind Harbor and Orgrimmar's Valley of Honor every thirty minutes, with actively hostile 72 elite Frost Wyrm Raptors and 71 elite Towering Horrorabominations.

Stormwind

Stormwind leadership

Herald of the Lich King yells: FOOLS OF STORMWIND! HEAR ME, NAIVE CHILDREN OF THE ALLIANCE! TREMBLE AND KNOW YOUR DOOM, FOR THE LICH KING'S GAZE IS FIXED UPON YOU!

Herald of the Lich King yells: TODAY WE WILL FORGE A NEW ALLIANCE—FOR TODAY YOU WILL FIGHT AND DIE! AND YOUR BODIES WILL RISE TO JOIN THE LICH KING’S UNDEAD ARMIES! ALL HAIL THE LICH KING… SOON TO BE KING OF STORMWIND… AND ALL OF AZEROTH!

King Varian Wrynn says: Warriors of Stormwind, draw your weapons and follow me! Today we conquer death itself! Bolvar! Get Anduin to safety!

Prince Anduin Wrynn says: Father! No! I’m not afraid--!

King Varian Wrynn says: No one questions your bravery, Anduin! But a touch of that green slime and you become one of them. Then where would our people be?

King Varian Wrynn says: You are more brother to me than even blood! Keep safe! Stormwind needs you!

Prince Anduin Wrynn says: I wish Bolvar didn’t have to go. I wish there were no enemies or battles… But you aren’t like that, are you, father? You’re sorry not to be going with Bolvar. You love to fight. Father, do you think there is something wrong with me that I do not?

King Varian Wrynn says: You’re a valiant lad Anduin. And when you have to fight you acquit yourself bravely. With honor. That is enough. I do not thirst for war as some men do. But… its true that I feel most alive in the midst of battle. Maybe that means there’s something wrong with me… Though that’s just as well considering the present circumstances. A great and terrible war is coming. When we win and the Lich King has been defeated… Then let us hope that your time, a time of peace and healing, will begin. When that day comes, you will be greater than I.[3]

Orgrimmar

Lady Sylvanas Windrunner says: Yes, Thrall. The time has come to kill Arthas. You can take my grand apothecary with you. His knowledge will be invaluable against whatever the Scourge will throw at you.

High Overlord Saurfang says: Warchief, it is clear that Northrend represents the gravest threat to our people, and that we must act against it.

Thrall says: My soul burns for revenge, but the elements tell me to think clearly. The Lich King is a ruthless opponent...one who must be handled carefully.

Thrall says: We will send scouts to assess the situation. I will also convene with the Lady Proudmoore and see what plans the Alliance has.

Garrosh Hellscream says: Gragh! I cannot take this! While you talk and deliberate, our enemies grow stronger! Were it my choice, I would have put all our available forces onto that frozen rock and conquered it for the Horde!

Thrall says: If this is a trap, it is one I will not blindly walk into! Do not make the same mistakes as your father, Garrosh!

Garrosh Hellscream says: After all that he did for YOU and YOUR people? MAK'GORA!

Thrall says: You challenge me boy? I don't have time for this....

Garrosh Hellscream says: So you refuse? Is the son of Durotan a coward?

Orgrimmar: comic version

Garrosh Hellscream says: By your “statecraft” you turn the orcs into weaklings, warchief! We should conquer the humans, who are as nothing---- then send our forces to Northrend to crush the Lich King and his undead army! The Horde should rule all of Azeroth!

Rehgar Earthfury says: The Lich King’s necropolis is almost upon us Thrall.

Thrall says: It cannot be allowed to destroy what we have built here! Let the earth rise up in anger! Let fire rain from the heavens! Thrall conjures a lightning storm that hits the necropolis Let the wind carry our defiance to the Lich King’s minions…! Thrall casts a sandstorm and blows the necropolis away …For neither Lich King nor Scourge are welcome here!

Herald of the Lich King yells: THIS SMALL VICTORY WILL AVAIL YOU NOTHING! COME! COME TO NORTHREND. MY MINIONS ARE WAITING, AND THEY ARE HUNGRY!

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